A Lesson about Magnetic Separation

As we all know magnet act through its magnetic field. It can be assembled in order to execute some significant magnetic separation applications. Magnets through its intense magnetic force attract the metal like steel, iron and other ferromagnetic bits. Thus, while doing the separation activities it can easily separate contaminants out of other materials mix. However it is a fun element while seeing the use of magnet in this way. But at the same time it is significantly useful as well.

When we talk about a magnetic separator a question always come to our mind. We know very well that magnet attacks iron and sticks to it. But what will we do when we have to use magnets to separate the metals of non- ferromagnetic in nature. That means how we separate a mixture of metal when none of the element of the mixture is sticking to magnet. For example can we separate aluminium which is not a ferromagnetic metal from other non-metallic trash?

We can easily separate the ferromagnetic metal from another materials mix. For this we have to construct a conveyor belt attached with two magnets on both the side, which can provide a strong magnetic hold to execute the task. Thus while the material mix come with the contact of magnet the non-ferromagnetic stuff which is not attracted to magnets separated automatically by just falls straight down. The technique is quite useful for separating ferromagnetic materials such as nickel, iron or steel from other materials.

But the main drawback is that magnet does not stick to the non-ferromagnetic metals like aluminium or copper, as well as many other electrically conductive metals. So how can we use the magnets to separate these materials from other stuff?

Fortunately science has the solution for that also. The key to solve the issue lies with Eddy Current. Eddy Current enables the magnet to spin at a greater speed in that conveyor belt and the technique will work with the repelling force between the magnet and the metal. Here the magnets exert a force on the metal resulting it throwing off out of the stuff rather than just dropping them. Thus the metal of aluminium or copper which are of non-ferromagnetic in nature can get separated from the stuff. Thus magnets are useful in the magnetic separation applications for both ferromagnetic as well as non-ferromagnetic stuff.

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